The Navajo Code Talkers

The Navajo code talkers

These brave young men fought so gallantly for a country who despised their beloved heritage. But why? That is a question we all wonder. Why? Why would they fight for us? Who are they?

The Indian code talkers who so gallantly served their country in the most perilous of times was the Navajo Native American Tribe. They are Native Americans from the South Western states of Arizona and New Mexico.

They have the biggest reservation in the country. They also have a Tribal government with a legislative, judicial and executive branch in their government. Some people say we would have never won the war without them.

What Did they do?

The Navajo code talkers were under the command of the United States Marine Corps. They decrypt and encrypt messages for the Marines. The Navajo had to be able to do this in as little as 30 seconds. They also had to be fluent in Navajo and English. They also were very fierce soldiers/combatants. They had MOS (Military occupational specialty) of 031 Machine gunner (031 means infantry) and Artillery.

Where did they serve?

The Navajo Code Talkers served in the Pacific theater of war fighting Japan on Island like the Philippines and Bataan, Guam, Iwo JIma. Even though most of them went to the Pacific theater of war, most of these brave young men have never even left their reservation before let alone their country. So I would guess they were pretty scared to leave their homelands, families and friends. And some of them were to never come back to their families.

Was their code ever broken?

No, their code was never cracked by the Japanese. But because they used the Navajo code in WW1 against the Germans, they could not use the code against the Germans, because the Germans might crack it. But the Americans still used Native code against them. They used the Comanches, and Meskwaki Indians to fight the Germans and Italians (which their code was never broken either).

Original 29 code talkers

• Charlie Y. Begay
• Roy L. Begay
• Samuel H. Begay
• John Ashi Benally
• Wilsie H. Bitsie
• Cosey S. Brown
• John Brown, Jr.
• John Chee
• Benjamin Cleveland
• Eugene R. Crawford
• David Curley
• Lowell S. Damon
• George H. Dennison
• James Dixon
• Carl N. Gorman
• Oscar B. Ilthma
• Alan Dale
• June Alfred Leonard
• Johnny R. Manuelito
• William McCabe
• Chester Nez
• Jack Nez
• Lloyd Oliver
• Joe Palmer
• Frank Denny Pete
• Nelson S. Thompson
• Harry Tsosie
• John Willie
• William Dean Wilson

All of the original code talkers are dead. The last one to die was Chester Nez born January 23, 1921 in Chi Chil Tah, New Mexico. He died June 4, 2014 at the age of 93 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

You know why we have all of our smartphones, electronics, free speech, democracy, freedom of belief/religion? Because of these brave men. These men fought and died so we could have the freedom to do these things. So when you think about the future or your dreams make sure you thank these men and all of the brave men who gave their life so you can read this article about very brave men.

Works Cited

1. Bruchac, J. (2005). Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two. Dial Books.
2. Deiter, M. E. (2012). The Navajo Code Talkers. Gareth Stevens Publishing.
3. Durrett, D. (2001). Unsung Heroes of World War II: The Story of the Navajo Code Talkers. Facts on File.
4. Jones, C. L. (2017). The Navajo Code Talkers: Top Secret Messengers of World War Two. Capstone Press.
5. MacDonald, J. (2011). The Last Navajo Code Talker. University of Oklahoma Press.
6. Patterson, P. (2002). The Navajo Code Talkers. Lerner Publications.
7. Romero, F. (2008). Code Talker Stories. Clear Light Publishing.
8. Utley, R. M. (2012). The Navajo Code Talkers and the Unbreakable Code. National Geographic Children's Books.
9. Wilkins, W. (1998). Navajo Code Talkers: The Unspoken Heroes of World War II. Carolrhoda Books.
10. Yazzie, E. D., & Santi, M. (2006). The Navajo Code Talkers. Gareth Stevens Publishing.